Leadership Tips: Stop Your Useless One-on-One Meetings

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams

When people think about being a leader and inspiring others, doing something unique often comes to mind. At its core, this is a well-guided strategy. You want to have your own personal style and not be like everyone else. The flaw in going to that reasoning, however, is that the everyday interactions and conversations are often overlooked. While paying attention to the big picture, you can miss the smaller pieces that sometimes make the most impact.

So I ask: Do you have regular meetings with your team members or peers that inspire them?

Oftentimes, when I talk with people in organizations, the answer is no. In fact, when the people are honest, they say they aren’t inspired by the conversation either. What a waste. Come on, you’re better than that. Your one-on-one time with others can be described as uninspiring and inconvenient or illuminating and enriching. Which would you prefer?

This week’s tip is to make your one-on-one meetings with your team members and peers more meaningful. Bring your whole self to the conversation and get curious. Make it about the person you are with rather than about yourself.

Yes, it is a simple tip, and yet, why do we keep having lackluster meetings?

It’s your choice to set the tone and create meaningful one-on-one meetings.